Witch Undecided by Debbie Cassidy

Chapter Twenty-Two

“He won’t help, then?” Sloane nodded. “I don’t suppose I blame him.”

Me neither.

“What?” Tor glared at her. “He has the chance to save lives. If he was a decent person—”

“He’s not a person.” I made a sound of exasperation. “He doesn’t even know what he is. He’s been used and bound and trapped all his life. With me, he had some semblance of freedom, some control, and then I put on this fucking amulet.”

“You did what you had to. You were protecting yourself,” Tor said.

“From what?” Honestly, I wasn’t even sure anymore. “Jasper has always protected me. If not for the seal I’d take this thing off and take my chances with him.”

The room was eerily silent. Fuck. I needed to rein in my emotions. Considering other people’s feelings wasn’t my forte. Except when it came to Fee. I wasn’t the kind of person to walk on eggshells.

Tor, Leif, and Rune were my mates by choice. They were connected to me, they cared about me, and there was that whole alpha wolf possessive thing to worry about. Telling them I wanted Jasper so bluntly was probably a little insensitive.

“You’re in love with him,” Sloane said softly.

Oh man, did she have to go there? “I don’t use the L word.” My heart squeezed painfully. “I’ve never allowed myself to go there.”

“And you can’t,” Leif said softly. “Not until we know more about him. Not until you can be a hundred percent confident that you won’t… submit to him.”

“You mean fuck him?” I gave Leif a flat look. “We’re all grown-ups here. You can say it.”

Tor’s chest rumbled.

Rune bumped me with his nose. Give him time. He’ll be back. Right now, he’s hurt. Upset. But I don’t think it’s in his nature to turn his back on you or the people that mean something to you.

Thank goodness for Rune’s insightful nature. His words resonated with me. Because Jasper was an ass at times, projecting an air of coldness and cruelty, but that was probably all he’d known. All he remembered. The blood witch who’d owned him had kept him starving and gray, giving him nothing but taking whatever she needed. I’d freed him, but all I’d shown him was contempt, even though he’d saved my ass over and over.

God, I was a bitch. Why was I such a bitch?

It was time to reset our relationship. He was mad, yes, he had a right to be, and it was up to me to make it up to him in any way I could that didn’t involve removing the amulet, because if I did that…If I did that, I wasn’t sure I’d be able to trust myself with him.

I stroked Rune’s head and then kissed between his ears. “Thank you.”

Sloane drained her cup. “Okay, so we need to work on the assumption that we don’t have a way to break the null effect.” She looked to Tor. “The witches are on hand to help if things change and Jasper comes around.” She looked to me. “Pack a few things and I’ll take you back to the mansion.”

“Wren too!” He rushed over and hugged my leg.

I stroked his head. “Of course.”

“Wren get Jules to make cocoa.”

Sloane looked at her watch. “It’s almost midnight, buddy. Kitchen’s closed.”

Wren smiled sweetly at her. “Not for Wren.”

Oh boy, my mogwai had the kitchen staff wrapped around his paw.

Leif pulled me into a hug and kissed my head. “Rain check on movie night?”

I wrapped my arms around his waist and hugged him tight. “Be safe. Please.”

Leif stepped back and Tor took his place.

He lifted my chin with the crook of his finger and looked deep into my eyes. “I’m sorry for snapping. I can’t change my stance on Jasper until we know more.”

“I get it. But he’s not the enemy.”

Tor stroked my jaw with his thumb. “I’ll try. But I’m not used to sharing.”

Rune and Leif coughed meaningfully at the same time.

Tor looked heavenward. “Not you guys. I can share with you guys.”

I couldn’t help but smile. “I get it. Go. Keep the packs safe. I’ll see you guys in a couple of days.”

“Hello, guys, she’s not leaving the country,” Sloane said.

Tor shot her a hard glance and she held up her hands and stepped back. “Take your time, not like I have anywhere to be.”

Tor leaned in and kissed my forehead. I closed my eyes and inhaled his scent, allowing the mating bond to surge up between us and pull me closer. He hugged me to his powerful chest for a long beat, and need washed through me, urging me to push up against him and nuzzle his throat. I tamped down on it, focusing instead on the warm, fuzzy feeling in my chest, this new sensation of home and safety. Crazy because Tor was danger and sex. He was authority and command, the kind of guy who’d put me over his knee and spank me, and fuck, I’d even let him. But right now, there was an overwhelming feeling of security.

He released me almost reluctantly and looked deep into my eyes, his expression serious. “Stay out of trouble.” He looked at Sloane. “If she gets hurt it’ll be on you.”

Sloane crossed her arms and flicked up her brows. “Would you like to rephrase that, Tor?”

His jaw ticked. “Just take care of her.”

Sloane smiled. “With pleasure.”

I left the guys to head upstairs to pack a bag.

“Less boots, more clothes,” Sloane called after me.

Yeah, like that was gonna happen.

Wren madea beeline for the dining hall as soon as we got into the mansion, and it wasn’t long before he’d been carried off by one of the resident ghosts. He was going to get his cocoa after all, and probably some baked treats to go with it. Wren was living the dream.

Sloane insisted on walking me all the way to the east wing. To be honest, I wasn’t looking forward to being back in the room where I’d been attacked by a revenant, and my face must have communicated that.

“The wards are back up,” Sloane said. “You’re safe.”

“I know. It just feels weird being back here. The cabin and the guys feel like home.”

“The coven is your home too,” she said.

“I know.”

“It’s not easy straddling two worlds.”

“It helps that these two worlds are so intertwined.” We climbed the steps that would lead us to my floor.

She slid a glance my way. “I spoke to Conah. He had some epic stories to tell about you.”

“He did?”

“You sound surprised.”

“I’m far from epic.”

“Oh? So, you didn’t ride a dragomite? You know, fire-breathing, dragon-like demon?”

Ah, that. I grinned. “Yeah…I might have done that.”

She shook her head. “Epic.”

“How is Conah getting on with the translation?”

“You can ask him yourself tomorrow. Is he always so particular about how things are filed?”

I winced. “Is the library unorganized?”

She shrugged. “We haven’t had a librarian in a decade. He spent his first few hours refiling books, then gave up. Apparently, it’s a lost cause and needs a whole new categorizing system.”

Yep, that sounded like Conah.

“He suggested he be allowed to work on it. You should have seen Anna’s face; she looked like the cat who got the cream. We have boxes of texts in the vault that haven’t been logged and shelved yet. She’s probably planning on kidnapping the reaper.”

That sounded like Anna. “He’s a Dominus and I doubt he’ll be able to stay with us for long.”

“I know,” Sloane said. “But Anna will make use of him while she can.”

“Wait, her mojo doesn’t work on him, does it?”

Sloane smirked. “Nope. But you should have seen her try.”

I sagged in relief. “Well maybe she should try using it on the silent sisters and get them to hurry with that glamour spell.”

Sloane shrugged. “I’m assuming creating a glamour spell to fool the Order takes time.”

“Yeah, but how much time do we have? While we wait, the revenants are having a feast.”

“Trust me, I know. It bothers me too.”

We reached the door to the east wing and came to a halt.

I sighed. “Okay, I guess I’ll see you for training tomorrow.”

Sloane gave me a strange look. “Um, I think you’ve got the wrong idea here, Cora. I’m staying with you tonight.”

“What?”

“The wards are up and no revenants, banshee, or slau can get in, but the original vamps are a different breed of creature. We have no idea how effective our wards will be against them. You’re not spending the night alone.”

Okay, that made sense. “I hope you don’t snore.”

“No, but I do hog the covers.” She grinned, electric-blue eyes gleaming in the moonlight streaming in from the windows. “I can probably control that, but I’m also a snuggler.” She leaned in. “That’s something I may not be able to control.”

I arched a brow at her. “Are you flirting with me?”

She tipped her head to the side. “What if I am?”

We’d spent a ton of time together over the last two weeks and she’d been strictly business. I’d almost forgotten about our kiss, but now, with the moonlight highlighting her sharp high cheekbones and sliding its fingers through her silver hair, the kiss was all I could think of. My gaze dropped to her full mouth and the memory of it on mine was a sharp tug in my lower belly, followed by liquid heat.

She traced the line of my jaw with her fingertip. “Fuck, you’re hot when you’re speechless.”

She’d called me hot. “You didn’t answer my question.”

“Yeah, I guess I am flirting with you. Probably shouldn’t, though. Tor might be happy to share with Leif and Rune, but I don’t…” She leaned in so her mouth was inches from mine. “Share, that is.” Her tongue peeked out to touch the corner of her mouth and her eyes narrowed. “You haven’t gotten intimate with them, have you?” She didn’t wait for my response. “When’s the last time you came?”

My chest flushed with heat and then annoyance flared in my chest. I stood taller. “When’s the last time you came?”

“Last night.” The corner of her mouth lifted. “I’m good with my hands.”

I smiled. “Good for you, Sloane.”

I turned away and shoved open the door. “Now if you’re done coming on to me, maybe we can get some sleep?”

Her chuckle followed me into the east wing. It was going to be a long night.

Sloane double-checkedthe wards before stripping down to her panties and vest and climbing into bed. Her body was lean and toned. She obviously worked out. I noted the symbols tattooed across her upper back and shoulders.

“Runes?” I pointed at her ink.

She craned her neck to look over her shoulder as if seeing them for the first time.

“Ah, shit. Yeah, a little shield to stop unwanted siphoning and possession. We considered these for you and your Jasper problem, but they’re proactive, not reactive, and Jasper was already bonded to you. The amulet was the best bet. Silent sister work.”

I touched it absently. “The sisters made this.”

“Yeah.” She pulled back the covers. “Elijah argued that as a potential we needed to make sure you were taken care of. Anna wasn’t too keen, though, but hell, it’s just as well she went along with it.”

She lay on her back with her arm tucked behind her head, staring at the ceiling.

“I don’t bite, Cora. Not unless you want me to.”

I pulled my sleep shorts and tee from my bag. I should change in the bathroom, but the wicked side of me reared up, wanting to give her a taste of her own medicine. I peeled off my top and her gaze zeroed in on me, body going still.

I reached for the clasp of my bra and her mouth parted expectantly. Pulse thudding in my throat, I fixed a smirk on my face before turning my back on her, unhooking the bra, and sliding it off. I pulled on the sleep tee, then turned to find her standing a foot behind me.

My heart slammed into my ribcage as her electric-blue eyes bore into me. Her fingers brushed the strip of exposed skin between the hem of my tee and my jeggings. My breath stuck in my throat as she hooked her thumbs into the waistband of my jeggings and peeled them over my hips and down my thighs, dropping to her knees so her head was level with my groin. Her warm breath filtered through the thin material of my panties, touching skin and promising a delicious invasion.

Oh fuck.

Her hands slid up my calves and stopped at my upper thighs, fingers pinching as if she was about to urge them apart. I sucked in a sharp breath, unable to fight the urge to tilt my hips toward her mouth. Unable to fight the heat of arousal spiraling at my core.

Sloane slid her hands up a little more, thumbs brushing the juncture of my thighs, and then stood and locked gazes with me. “Word of advice, Cora. If we play the teasing game, you’re gonna lose. Every. Fucking. Time.”

Thankgoodness for large beds and thank goodness for Wren. He joined us a few minutes after we got into bed and settled between us. Perfect barrier, not that anything would happen between Sloane and me. She’d made that clear, and I wasn’t about to tease her again, because my pulse wouldn’t be able to take the consequences.

Wren smelled of cocoa and chocolate.

“He’s adorable,” Sloane whispered.

“Yeah, he is. Do you know much about mogwai?”

“No. But I’m pretty sure Conah will. Get some sleep, Cora. We can train some more tomorrow if you like.”

“Yeah.” I snuggled into Wren, closed my eyes, and opened them what felt like minutes later to the sound of Sloane’s soft snores, but my body was in alert mode. Something had woken me. My body was covered in goosebumps and the air felt lighter, like there wasn’t enough oxygen. I breathed shallowly, scanning the room. My gaze tracked to the wardrobe sitting snug against the wall like a shadowy, hulking beast, then my heart stalled as a shadow detached itself from it.

Fuck, there was something in the room with us.